Carli DiMeo, OTD, OTR/L, BCP; Allen Keener, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, ATP, FAOTA
Mental and Behavioral Health SIS
Suicide risk is not confined to mental health settings. Occupational therapy practitioners across practice areas routinely encounter individuals with suicide risk factors yet often report limited preparation for identifying and responding to suicidality. This session will provide practical, evidence-informed strategies for integrating suicide screening and intervention into occupational therapy practice. Using Joiner’s Interpersonal Theory of Suicide as a guiding framework, participants will examine how perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and acquired capability contribute to suicide risk and identify opportunities for occupation-based intervention. Attendees will explore screening approaches, appropriate responses to positive screens, safety planning principles, referral pathways, and documentation considerations within the occupational therapy scope of practice. Through clinical case examples, participants will gain actionable tools to recognize risk, initiate compassionate conversations, and support suicide prevention across diverse practice settings.